Madiha Kamel

Madiha Kamel was an Egyptian actress. Her career in cinema, TV and theater spanned over 3 decades with around 140 credits. As a child, she participated in school plays and was interested in acting. She drew attention with her beauty from a young age, earning the title of "The Beach Girl" in a beauty contest in Alexandria at just 16, with her photo appearing on the cover of the entertainment magazine "Al-Kawakeb". She received many acting offers, but her father refused out of concern for her well-being in the entertainment world. To please her, he allowed her to take part in a few fashion shows, though she continued to dream of an opportunity in acting.

She moved to Cairo in 1962 to finish high school and she enrolled at the Faculty of Arts at Ain Shams University in 1965. Her career began in 1964 with small roles in film and theater, alongside her work as a fashion model. Gradually, she moved from minor parts to leading roles, landing her breakout performance opposite Farid Shawqi in 30 Yom fi el-Sign (1966). After a brief disappearance from the spotlight, she returned to act in both Egypt and Lebanon, taking on numerous second-lead roles that brought her wide exposure such as Hello Shalaby (1969), Oghneya Ala El Mamar (1972), Zaier el-fager (1975) and The Liar (1975). Her big break came when director Kamal El Sheikh cast her in the lead role of El-Soud ela al-hawia (1978) alongside Mahmoud Yassine. She also had a big success with El Bashayer (1987).

She received several film awards, including the State Encouragement Award in 1983 for Ashyaa Ded El Qanoon (1982), the Catholic Center Award for Oyun la tanam (1982), the Critics and Writers Association Award for Bariq Aynayk (1982) and an honorary award at the Mediterranean Film Festival in Alexandria for her roles in Al Qitt Asloh Assad (1985) and Wa Laken Shayan ma Yabqa (1984). She retired from acting in April 1992 for religious and personal reasons. Her final film appearance was in Bawabat Iblees (1993).